1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to an antenna apparatus of a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the term “mobile terminal” refers to mobile electronic device capable of communication. Such mobile terminals have a current tendency to be lightweight and compact in size. Also, mobile terminals provide many functions, such as multimedia and Internet services.
Additionally, mobile terminals are being produced with various and distinguished designs, such as rotary-type terminals capable of inversely rotating a housing equipped with a display device between front and rear sides of the housing, and slide-type terminals having a pair of housings coupled with each other in such a manner that the housings can slidably move in a length direction thereof, which are advanced from the even more conventional bar-type terminals, flip-type terminals, and folder-type terminals.
Mobile terminals commonly have an antenna apparatus for ensuring sufficient transmitting/receiving rates and signal quality. In general, an antenna apparatus includes a combination of a helical antenna fixed on a terminal body and a whip antenna installed on a terminal body in such a manner that the whip antenna is introduced into/drawn out of the terminal body. However, as performance of an antenna apparatus has become improved, it is possible to utilize a single antenna apparatus fixed to a terminal body. An antenna apparatus accommodated in a terminal body has been also commercialized.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional mobile terminal 10 having an antenna apparatus 19. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 10 is a folder-type terminal including a body 11 and a folder 12, which is rotatably coupled with the body 11. Although not illustrated, a keypad and a signal transmitting component are installed in the body 11, and a main display unit and a signal receiving part are installed on the folder 12.
A small display unit 17 is installed at an outer peripheral surface of the folder 12, such that information about the mobile terminal 10, e.g., battery power, a signal strength, the date and time, etc., is displayed. A pair of side hinge arms 13 are formed at both upper side portions of the body 11, and a center hinge arm 15 is formed at one end of the folder 12. The center hinge arm 15 is rotatably coupled between the side hinge arms 13, such that the folder 12 is rotatably connected to the body 11.
The antenna apparatus 19 of the terminal 10 is installed on an upper end of the body 11 and protrudes therefrom. The antenna apparatus 19 includes a combination of a helical antenna fixed on the body 11 and a whip antenna installed on the body 11 in such a manner that the whip antenna is introduced into/drawn out of the body 11. A structure of such an antenna apparatus is generally known to those skilled in the art.
However, an antenna apparatus protruding out of a terminal, such as antenna apparatus 19, restricts a design of the mobile terminals and may make it difficult to carry the terminal. Further, because the antenna apparatus is exposed to the outside, it may be easily damaged when any external impact is applied thereto or when the mobile terminal is dropped.
Accordingly, to solve the above-described problems, an internal antenna can be installed in a mobile terminal. However, an antenna gain of the internal antenna may be reduced due to electromagnetic interference between the internal antenna and circuit devices, such as a radio frequency (RF) board of the terminal, and due to interference from a structure, such as a terminal housing. Consequently, it is difficult to ensure good quality of service (QoS) of the mobile terminal.